Hong Kong – Manulife Hong Kong has been named a Core Participating Insurer in the latest batch of the AI Cohort Programme organised by the Hong Kong Insurance Authority (IA), a move that highlights the insurer’s efforts to advance the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) and support Hong Kong’s ambitions to become a regional centre for AI innovation.
The AI Cohort Programme brings together insurers and technology partners to encourage industry-wide collaboration in AI adoption. Under the initiative, participating insurers contribute to the establishment of AI Centres of Excellence in Hong Kong, support talent development through capability-building programmes, and promote knowledge sharing across the insurance sector and with regulators.
Commenting on the development, Patrick Graham, CEO of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, said: “AI is rapidly transforming the insurance landscape, enabling insurers to reimagine how we serve customers while driving greater efficiency and resilience. We are honoured to participate in the AI Cohort Programme. Through this initiative, alongside our continued investment in AI capabilities and talent, we aim to scale the responsible adoption of AI across our business, deepen collaboration and knowledge sharing with industry partners, and contribute to the broader application of AI across the sector.”
Manulife Hong Kong said it is continuing to integrate AI across its operations, including distribution, customer experience, underwriting and claims functions. Among its AI-driven initiatives are a customer-facing virtual assistant that provides round-the-clock bilingual support, a sales enablement tool that offers agents data-driven insights, and an AI-powered assistant designed to support agents with new business and underwriting enquiries.
The insurer also recently announced a strategic partnership with Alibaba Cloud to establish a collaboration framework and explore the creation of a joint AI hub aimed at accelerating the development of AI use cases. According to the company, these initiatives are supported by governance measures intended to ensure AI is implemented responsibly, securely and in compliance with relevant regulations.
Manulife Hong Kong said its participation in the AI Cohort Programme reflects its continued commitment to Hong Kong as a hub for AI innovation and aligns with its broader strategy of becoming an AI-powered organisation.
